GarryP

In turn:

1. I don't claim to be a high IQ thinker (though objectively I'd probably classify), all I claim is the bell curve of intelligence is hurting us as those on the right of the curve don't want to put the time/effort into recognising even the basics.
   
   Personally I'd assume that to really have a grasp on how the world works today, you'd need a 115-120 IQ - since it's got more complex over time. However, to realise that Trump is a lying second hand car salesman all you need is perhaps an 80 IQ. Yet ....
   
   What I'm talking about is induced stupidity, not paying attention and not thinking. And I use the word stupid because it cuts through the cr*p.
2. I'M NOT TRYING TO CONVERT ANYONE HERE. If I were trying to get people onside, I'd use very different a tack. All I'm doing is pointing up the reality of the situation, and saying 'b*ll*cks' when some lie is presented.
3. If the centre is filled with Trumps, the wilderness is by far the safest place to be.

mrken30

The US does rank 19th on the IQ scale with an average score of 98. This means there are probably a lot of people below 80

Average IQ by Country – Statistic Brain

mrken30

Be interesting for someone to compare test results with Trump votes

IQ averages in US States - best estimate available

scrubbedexpat098

Except it doesn't cut through the crap, it multiplies it, you alienate an entire class of people, which as the left you claim to be representing. If reality was your objective you'd have looked from a different angle by now. If you were objectively pointing out the bollocks spouted on here, you'd have a thread all to yourself, no other participation required.

Neither the left or the right has the answers, both tend to **** up after a while and let the other mob in for a go, it's a real shame that people are so pig headed they fail to see this.

This is how the majority felt at Brexit, and it's how the yanks feel, this bloke nails it.

Amazulu

More waffle

My question remains unanswered

Pulaski

I recommend not clicking on that link - it traps you in a cycle of junk web pages.

Amazulu

FFS

IQ has nothing to do with this topic!

Common sense is all that is required

Beoz

You haven't stated any facts except for poll numbers, and we know how accurate polls are.

mrken30

Sorry about that, I didn't get any junk web pages. I am using chrome if that makes a difference.

mrken30

As we all know common sense isn't related to IQ.

Pulaski

It just cycles through those click-bait pages of "50 times the Cameraman caught ..." , "25 greatest .....", "30 times ....: pages, that you (I) can't back out of.

GarryP

Hey, waddya know, we almost agree on something.

Personally I think all politicians are failures because they are more wrapped up in ideology and political 'careers' than actually fixing anything and making things better. The emphasis becomes a chase for money/donations/bribes instead.

Remember, if I were to place myself on a political spectrum (which I don't tend to) it would be in the centre, saying "right, let's make it better for everyone".

I don't agree that "let the other mob in" is a good bet, since then it just tends to swing from one ideology to another, from creation to destruction (often of the same things). I think a situational use of tools somewhere in the centre tends to do better. Sometimes you need the market exploring niches, sometimes you need central governance and control, sometimes you use greed as a motivator, and sometimes you nail the greedy to the wall for stealing all the pies.

And I think the incentives at the moment are much too much towards rewarding lying, rewarding corruption, and not doing anything, so you can't be accused of upsetting the status quo.

Gibbo

If common sense is all that is required, why is it so obviously missing from so many arguments? Would it be correct to assume it had died?

Pulaski

So you also agree that the best choice for US President would be someone who has no history of ever having run for elected office, right?

GarryP

Well, it would be nice if there were some common sense around - but you are right, it's in short supply.

Problem is, particularly in complex problems like governance, there are a wealth of simple, obvious, easy, answers - that are wrong. Common sense says you kick out immigrants there are more jobs for citizens. Problem is, it ain't that simple. Not only do you have the massive problem of actually doing mass deportations, you have the example of where immigrants are a significant part of the workforce of a factory in a town. You raid the firm, take away the immigrants; and the company collapses since their cheap labour was what was keeping it going. So not only do you lose the other jobs at that company, you lose jobs in the companies dependent on that company - and you create a dead town (and yes, this really happened).

It's actually much easier and better to do what Obama has been doing, you wait till some end up in the criminal system, and then deport them. Obama has actually deported 2.5m over the last 8 years (not that you would know it from the GOP). It's part of the reason why the immigrant community is actually the most law abiding of all (again, not something you would hear).

And all of that takes intelligence I'm afraid, not common sense.